Matthew David Small - OurWarHeroes.org - Tribute sites by Q Madp

Matthew David Small

Kennesaw, Georgia

March 14, 2023

Age	Military	Rank	Unit/Location
41	Army	SFC	Georgia

Obituary For Matthew David Small

Child of God, Roman Catholic, Husband, Father, Son, Son-ln-Law, Brother, Brother-ln-Law,

Nephew, Uncle, Army Ranger, B.A.M.F.

Matthew David Small was born in Michigan on March 4, 1982, and went to his eternal reward on March 14, 2023, following a short illness. Matthew has served for the past 16+ years in the U.S. Army, having reached Sgt. E-7 Tabbed Ranger with the 3/75. He served 8 combat tours, and had 10 deployments, the latest to Poland. He is an American hero!

Matthew met his future wife, Mary-Margaret Duncan Small when he was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia and Mary-Margaret was the women's basketball coach for Columbus State University. On the 27th of February, 2010, they married at Barnwell Chapel, on the campus of Berry College in Rome, GA, Mary-Margaret's alma mater. Shortly thereafter, Matthew was deployed and they settled in to the organized chaos of military families. It was not long after that it became apparent that Matt and Mary-Margaret had taken seriously their promise to welcome new life into their marriage. In the next 15 years, they welcomed seven children into their family: Maddox Dean, Miles Dixon, Morrison Duncan, Margaret-Melania, Madelyn Marie, Marshall David, and MaryPaul Mattea, who was born on Matt's birthday a mere 10 days before he died. It is safe to say that Matthew left behind a "Small Army".

Throughout their marriage, Mary-Margaret consistently modeled her deep Catholic faith for Matthew and for their children. In 2022, after receiving orders for a location in Florida that had no available housing for a large family, Mary-Margaret and the children moved home to Atlanta for what was planned to be a year-long post. Matthew saw this as a great opportunity to pursue the calling he felt pulling him to full communion with the Church. He planned to surprise Mary-Margaret at Easter of 2023. He contacted the priest at their Florida parish, and entered into the RCIA program. He was on his greatest mission...." a mission from God."

Through the late 2022 holidays, Matthew was feeling under the weather. His condition worsened, and in early January, he was diagnosed with metastatic mesothelioma. His first reaction was that he wanted to "fast-track" his conversion. On January 28, 2023, Matthew received the Sacraments of Initiation and was received into full communion with the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Throughout the coming days, as the pain worsened, Matthew took great consolation in offering his pain to Jesus, and in seeking the consolation of the Blessed Mother, as he prayed and meditated on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

On March 14, 2023, Matthew, surrounded by those he loved and a host of angels and saints, successfully completed his final mission.

He has, in the words of St. Paul, "fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith."

Thank You, Jesus. God bless America!